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Testimonials

BOOST Advisory Board Quotes:

"Project BOOST is an excellent resource for any hospital looking to improve the quality of the discharge process and reduce preventable and costly post-discharge complications and readmissions. Coordinating such efforts with BCBS Plan Care Managers will further enhance the safety and patient-centeredness of care"

"Project BOOST provides a clear plan of action for hospitals who want to improve the discharge process for their older patients. Utilizing the free resources that BOOST provides will result in decreased re-hospitalization and better patient outcomes, a win-win situation for all involved."

Jean Range
The Joint Commission

"The hospital discharge is a hazardous "procedure," particularly for patients who are older, functionally impaired, and burdened by multiple medical problems. Many patients suffer adverse events shortly after discharge, often as a result of medication-related mix-ups and breakdowns in communication. Preventable bouncebacks frustrate patients and providers alike, and probably cost the healthcare system billions of dollars. Fortunately, recent work by researchers from a variety of disciplines has shown that innovative system improvements can reduce readmissions, save money, and increase patients' confidence in their ability to manage their own conditions. Project BOOST provides an outstanding opportunity for participating hospitals to adapt many of these concepts and approaches at the local level, and to improve their own discharge processes."

William Lyons, MD
American Geriatrics Society

"In addition to excellent medical care hospitalized older adults often need evaluation of psychological and social factors that may determine where the patient will go after discharge. Factors such as care giving needs, family supports, home and community environment, and financial resources need to be assessed and understood so that the older adult has the best chance of the fullest recovery. The principles of Project BOOST support this comprehensive approach to care."

"I recall a time when healthcare experts predicted that hospitals would become "one big ICU". That time has come, and it requires that we radically change the way we think about the discharge process.

The trend towards outpatient therapy has meant that only the sickest now get admitted to the hospital. Patients who would have been cared for on the wards 5-10 years ago are now being discharged home with complicated "to-do lists" that include Infusion Clinic therapies, tests to be done, specialists to follow up with, new medication regimens to follow, and new dietary restrictions to carry out. Unfortunately, there is evidence that the ball gets dropped on many of these "to-do" items resulting in harm to patients.

As members of the healthcare team, it is our duty to ensure that our plan of management is executed reliably and that harm to patients is avoided. Project BOOST represents the collective efforts of the entire interdisciplinary team collaborating with patients, communities, and payors to address these issues. It has been an honor to serve on the Advisory Board for Project BOOST with such an outstanding team."

BOOST Site Leader Quotes:

The society [SHM] has really helped me understand the process in managing change, in quality-improvement cycles. Having participated in one of the mentored implementation programs [Project BOOST], I was afforded an opportunity to be coached by experts in the field. The toolkits on the SHM website I found very helpful. It was a mini-fellowship, if you will. If I didn't take the interest that I have in SHM, I don't think I would have either known the opportunities I have or availed myself of all the opportunities SHM can provide.

Nick Fitterman, MD, FACP, SFHM
Huntington Hospital

"Being selected as a BOOST pilot site has energized our administration as well as nursing staff to effectuate a change that will enhance transitions of care.

The mentors have helped guide us through the process and keep us on track.

BOOST list serve has given us access to creative ideas across the country from other BOOST sites and also serves as a companion during this initiative.

The tools that the BOOST team has equipped us with will help not only with this project, but also set the tone and skill set for future initiatives."

Nick Fitterman, MD
Huntington Hospital, NY
Cohort 2

"In our hospital, we always discuss teamwork, patient centered goals, and improved communication. Project BOOST takes those key elements, and turns them into actions. As we implement elements of the toolkit, those ideas take shape into real actions, and are no longer just words. We are forming a unit that is enjoying talking to the patient again, with the utilization of teach back, that is implementing forms geared towards the patient and not just regulatory requirements, and working alongside a team constantly striving to make the discharge process better. "

Jordan Messler, MD, FHM
Morton Plant Hospitalists
Cohort 2

"We chose to participate in BOOST because of our recognized need to improve our transitions of care at discharge and because of our success with other SHM projects such as those focusing on VTE prophylaxis and glycemic control. To date, our major successes include raising awareness of the challenges faced by our at risk patients at discharge; creating a tool by which RNs are able to screen for gaps in providers' and patients' plans for discharge; and improving the system by which discharged patients can contact their hospital providers if issues arise in the immediate post hospitalization period. We are also looking forward to providing improved discharge paperwork to patients in the coming month when our provider order entry system goes live."

Percy Pentecost, MD
University of New Mexico
Cohort 1

"BOOST is allowing us to collaborate across departmental lines. It is adding form to what was a scattered attempt at effecting discharge. We now sense that we have a roadmap to make a difference."

"The BOOST tools helped us reach some of our most important goals: decreased readmission rate, improved length of stay, and enhanced patient education while simultaneously providing our clients a more satisfying hospital experience."